These images by Russia-born, New York-educated artist Dasha Shishkin are just endlessly fascinating. They’re cartoony in their simple, stark lines, but also surreal and reminiscent of 1960s futurism. Here’s a detail from a new picture called “analyte detection via protein nano spores.”
That picture is part of a new exhibition of works on mylar, being displayed in Los Angeles, at Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects. In the L.A. Times, there’s an interview with Shishkin where she talks about her love for Chris Ware and Tintin comics, and her obsession with creating a stark image with just a few strong lines.
The article also has a great description of why her work is so surreal and captivating:
The artist has created a wild retro-futuristic universe that is somewhat akin to plummeting down a rabbit hole.
Cupcakes sprout faces, cherries have eyes, people have tails and a schnauzer casually dispenses cocktails to a reclining female. Figures emerge and dissolve into blobs of paint while red-capped mushrooms sprout from surreal landscapes, as well as a woman’s bare behind.
Here’s the whole thing of that “analyte detection” image:
And here’s a detail of another new image from the show, called “for the busy and for the vexed”:
Plus here are a couple of older pieces of hers that appeared in Vogue Magazine in 2011, via Marshall Matlock:
And finally, a few images from a 2011 gallery show called “Desaparecido” — more here:
“We are not afraid for comparable lives”
“Shyness is nice”
“With the dark comes dinner”
To read more about Shishkin and her art, head over to the Los Angeles Times.
